Towing-post.



W. F. JOHNSTONE. TOWING POST.

APPLIOATIONV'ILED MAR` 26, 1909.

928,766. Mente@ July 2o, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W. If. JOHNSTONB. TOWING POST. APLIoAjrIoN FILED MAR. ze, 19'o9,.

Patented July 20.1909.

z SHEETS-SENT 2,

'UNIT STATES rires rrorsi-cn.

'rowING-Posr.

Noreesyeo.

To all whom 'it may concern:

.Be it known that I, E'ViLsoN F. JonN- STONE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Honolulu, ylerritory of Hanan, have 1ni vented newand useful Improvements in 'lowin f-Posts of which the followiiw is a as i n specification. 1

This invention relates to nen and useful improvements 'in towingpostsespecially con l struc'ted for use in harbors and intricate channelswhere the turns are short and sudden but applicable also to deep seatoning with great advantage.

In order that the novel features of construction and their attendantadvantages may be more readily appreciated I v. ill briefly reviewconditions as they exist at the present time in the towing art and willthen set forth wherein my invention overcomes the defects andinadequacies of the devices4 ordinarily employed.

Towing machines are at present located on the deck ofthe tug or in thehold, the tow line passing through a chock, han'se hole or similardevice on the tallrail of the tug, this arrangement being necessary fora fair lead to the towinglmachini-s. thus held in'choeks aft, it isimpossible to accurately handle the tug and the tow in intricatechannels requiring short and sudden turns. F or this reason the.arrangement wherein the towing machine is on deck and the chock aft, cannet be used for harbor to. ing but only for deep sea towing. In order toallow of the .tug and her tonA beingl readily handled it essential thatthe'tor.- ing post be located somewhat abalitv and coinparatively nearthe center ol'A the tug so that the drag of the tow may not interfere.with the steeragenay ol' the tug. l.it is also essential to the lullcontrol of the tow and to the lille of the tov.' line that the bucklingand abrasions to which the tow line is subjected in fair leaders andsimilar devices as ordinarilyconstructed, be eliminated asiar aspossible.

Recognizing the. above defects the present invention was designed forthe purpose of overcoming the same and for other purposes as will behereinafter; ilained.

It will be seen .l'roni the foregoing-that the towing post should 4-belocated somewhat abaft and near thc-center of the vessel and that free-play of the towing line should be allowed. 'lho-irst Objectisaccomplished by Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 26, 1909.

'l he tow line being4 Patented July 20,-19'09.

Serial No. 485,922.

l. ,locating the. towing machine in the hold of the vessel and bypositioning the towing post on the deck abaft and near the center of thetug. rThe second object is accomplished by providing a towing post whichis self-adjusting in accordancewith the relative positions of the tugand the tow. Accordingly, the towing post is .mounted for horizontal sn'inging movement and is capable of elliciently turn- Eing through an arcof 180 degrees. Thepresent invention veliminates the necessity ofplacing checks ory similar devices on the tail'rail and consequently thetaflrail is perfectly clear so as not to interfere "w ith ,the movementof the tow line through the-necessary angle. Incidental to thisarrangement the straight )ortion of the towing post is-located coaxiallywith the tow line in the position which the latter assumes when beingwound upon or unwound from the reel.

Having conceived a means whereby the above objects could be obtainedland the defects and inadequacies of the devices ordinarily employed,eliminated, numerous .dithculties presented themselves which had tobeobviated before an arrangement along the lines generally set forth couldbe practically used. In order that buckling of the tow-line Amay b eprevented and that the bendingmoments may be as easy aspossibleit isessential that tos.' lines over an inch in diameter .should travel oversheaves forty times the diameter or the tow line. Such a sheave for usewith a tow line of standard age would `have a diameter of seven feet an(when employed in connection with a swivelingI earriage and a deckcasting` support, thetop of the sheave would be about nine feet-aboveth.n deck, the arrangement being similar to a gigantic inverted caster.A tug with anord inary l'our it. highltowingpost with a strain aft'lineof the vessel will careen twenty degrees; and with the above sheave fivefeet. l'ngher7 the leverage would be so great that'it 'thehawsensincethe vessel would be in great to locate the top of a seven ft.sheave the same height fromfthe deck asan ordinary towing` post sincethis -would necessitate-a sunken lunch. nection would fill with waterand dirtlfrom the d'eck and would be a source nl' danger and on thehawser at right angles to the fore and would not be practical to put anystrain on A sunken hatch in this conanndvance in a sea wav. Mynextthought,`

danger of capsizing. It is also not practical tim angl fm' taking' uping fue surgi' fr way and Hum. man

il Lr COQ muy which the d Sim-H' prior am um svt propel' detain imm :1,:u pl'm' mh' MMM, punched at U1 @ml prmismu rlmf murospum my' an thetowing generaliy as 1;,

were@ ving with a tension on the tow line all the 'time and the postswings with the towline,

accoinrnodating,l itself to any position which the tow line takes whenthe tug is in motion'. All abrasions and other kinks which the tow linehas in the arrangements in which it is readily set up and dismantled andthat the vpulleys 13 may be conveniently taken out and replaced for thepurposes ol renewal and repairs.

',Having claim:

l. A towing post comprising a casing); of curved outline and providedwith a liollou' tangentially extended journal und a bearing for thejournal.

2 A towing poet comprising a casing of curved outline and provided `witha hollow tangentiallv extended journal, a bearing for the journa and aplurality of closely aseociated pulleys in the casing atl'ording aboaring surface for the tojw' line.

3. A towingI post con'iprising` a casing of curved outline, a swivelbearing for thccasing to allow the latter to swing horizontally, acurved track in the rear of the bearing and a strut arm projectingradially land inwardly from the casing and having a roller engaging thetrack.

4. A towingpost comprising ucasing oi' curved outline and cfu shapecross. section, a swivel bearing for the casing to allow the lat fullydescribed my invention, l

ter to swing horizontally, and. a plurality ofy closely associatedpulleys in the casing aiiording a bearing surl'ace lor the tow line.

ln a towing post construction, in coinhination, a plurality ol closelyassociated pnl L le vs means icr su )ortiiw the nullo 'e in con .l y nY.

terininous relation and as an arc-shaped se-` ries, said ineensincluding a hollowjourniil and swivel bearing for the journal.

6. A towing post comprising a casing of curved outline, a swivel bearingfor the cas ing to allow' the latter to swing horizontally, angularlydisposed strut arms projecting radially and inwardly from the casing, acurved track in the rear of the bearing and i roller irovidcd on eachstrut arm and engaging the track.

7. A, towingpost com rising a casing of curved outline, a swivel Bearingfor the casing to allow the latter to swing horizontally, andnieans'connected to the casing for relieving the stress incident to thesurging 'of the touY line.

8. The combination .yvith a towing post comprising a freely`Y swingingcurved casing having e tangentially extended journal, of a base platefor attachmentto the deck and having a bearing for the journal.

i). 'lhe combination `with a towing post comprising n freely swingingcurved casing having a tangentially extended journal, of a base platefor attachment to the deck and having an'annular boss through which thejournal passes and Ineens for-'holding the journal in the base plateagainst axialplay.

l0. The combination with a towing post comprising a freely swingingcurved casing,l 1 having a tangentially extended journal, of a baseplete for attachment to the deck and having a bearing for the journal,acurved track on the base plate in the rear of the bearing 'and eninwardly projecting strut arni carried by the casing and having a rollercngaging ,said track.

.ln testimony whereof l have hereunto set my liand in presence of twosubscribing witncssee.

d itnesses:

lticimnn ll. 'l`nENT, OLAF li. SonnNsoN.

